Carpark at Bukit Jambul Shopping Complex building

hehehe...i took this picture at BJ sopping complex carpark. This picture has been taken at carpark at ground floor. Why i'm taking this picture.? Actually we find the carpark for disability but cannot found it. I'm interested with this area because it is near to the entrance to this building. For your information, this carpark is not for persons with disability.



So, where are the persons with disability want to park their car? What i mean is for those who have their own car? For me, why not they (the management of this building) put a sticker there and use this area for the disable? I guess this location is strategic for them. It is not only located in front of the entrance to the building but it is also at a ground floor. They don't need to go to a very high level parking area just to find a place to park their car. What do you think? Agree with me...?

What is happen here...?

Apa dah jadi ni...? Silap haribulan ada yg masuk dalam tu pula. cerita ni saya jumpa kat perhentian bas di Sungai Dua, Pulau Pinang. Kalau tak silap kawasan ni baru je "disembuh" dalam tahun lepas (2008) tapi sekarang dah macam ni pula. Apa yang jadi sebenarnya ni...besi untuk tutup lubang tu ada kaki la agaknya boleh berjalan. Yang tu masyarakat kena jawab la terutama sekali individu yang tidak bertanggungjawab kerana mengambil harta awam. Masalah ni sebenarnya masalah sosial juga...tapi apa yang saya nak tekankan kat sini sekarang ialah masalah yang akan timbul kesan daripada tindakan individu yang tidak bertanggungjawab.


Macam mana kalau OKU yang cacat penglihatan(buta) lalu kat kawasan ni. Bayangkanlah apa yang akan terjadi. Walaupun mereka ada tongkat...mereka tak akan menjangka ada lubang yang besar di hadapan mereka. Apa akan jadi kalau mereka terjatuh dalam lubang tu... dah baik orang letak besi untuk tutup lubang tu, senang-senang pula orang lain angkat ye...? Dah tu diganti pula dengan tong sampah jadi penutup.


Tengokla gambar kat bawah ni...letak ranting dengan plastik kat situ berkesan ke? Yela, kalau siang ok la kot orang boleh nampakkan. Tapi bayangkanlah waktu malam. Untuk pengetahuan semua, kawasan ni agak gelap tau. Silap-silap ada yang termasuk dalam tu kalau baru pertama kali lalu kat perhentian bas ni. Memang parah betul la... masalah ni bukan hanya mendatangkan kesusahan kepada individu OKU yang lalu kat kawasan ni malah turut memberi masalah kepada masyarakat awam yang lain.

Ok, sekarang kita tengok pula gambar kat bawah ni. Masih di tempat yang sama lagi. Apa yang saya nak tunjukkan kat sini ialah keluasan ruang . Bagi saya ruang kosong tu sangat sempit apatah lagi bila penutup lubang tu dah hilang, bertambah lagi la kesempitan lorong tersebut. Saya rasa telefon awam ni sangat tidak sesuai diletakkan di situ. Apa pendapat korang?

Lorong ni memang sah la kalau ada OKU yang guna kerusi roda memang tak dapat nak lalu. Selain itu perhentian bas ni juga memang tak mesra OKU. Pada pendapat korang la kan...macam mana la agak-agaknya perhentian bas yang boleh kitaanggap sebagai mesra OKU. Agak-agaknya apa kriteria yang perlu ditekankan dan macam mana pula reka bentuk yang sesuai. Kalau ada cadangan boleh la kita bincang2 kat sini...hehehe. Terima kasih kerana meluangkan masa untuk membaca celoteh ni.

MEMORANDUM on disability issues

" Memorandum on Disability Issues For The 9th Plan" ... read more at this link:

http://www.pocam.org/DOWNLOAD/050601_memo3.htm

People with disabilities in Malaysia are a large minority group who have been subjected to direct and indirect discrimination. In planning for the disabled, a holistic approach is required. Therefore it is imperative that a chapter be devoted to address the concerns of the disabled in the formulation of the 9th Malaysia Plan. We recommend that the chapter be entitled “The Disabled and Development”

In the past twenty-five years there has been an increasing awareness of issues faced by people with disabilities both in Malaysia and internationally. These developments were in part the result of the various United Nations initiatives; the International Year of the People With Disabilities (1981) followed by the UN Decade of People with Disabilities with its World Program of Action (1983-1993), the Asian and Pacific Decade of People With Disabilities (1993-2002).

These programs have two primary objectives:

1. To achieve an equal share in the opportunities and improved living conditions resulting from social and economic development for people with disabilities.

2. To promote effective measures for the prevention of disability, rehabilitation and the realisation of the goals of full participation and equality of people with disabilities in social life and economic development.

One of the major results of these initiatives was the birth of a new approach to disability issues, in many countries, that recognised the:

1. Citizenship rights of people with disabilities; and

2. Social and environmental nature of obstacles to the achievement of self-reliance and full equality by people with disabilities.

We urge the government to address the following important issues, which were highlighted at a Workshop. The following recommendations are submitted for the consideration of the Economic Planning Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department for appropriate budgetary allocations for the development of disabled persons under the 9th Malaysia Plan.

1. Recommendations on education

2. Recommendations on vocational training

3. Recommendations on Employment

4. Recommendations on housing

5. Recommendations for an Accessible Built Environment

6. Recommendations for Accessible Transportation

7. Recommendations on Health and Medical Care

8. Recommendations on Social Provision

9. Recommendations on Public Awareness

10. Recommendations on Information Technology

11. Recommendations on Non Government Organisations (NGOs)

12. Recommendations on Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR)

13. Recommendations on Legislation

There are 13 recommendations listed but the most important issues that i would like to highlight here is:

1. Recommendations for an Accessible Built Environment

The Uniform Building By Laws(1984) under the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 was amended in 1990. It makes it mandatory for all new building to have facilities and amenities for people with disabilities. Subsequently, The Malaysian Standard (MS 1184:91) Code of Practice for Access for the Disabled People to Public Buildings was drawn up to provide the specifications for the essential provisions that need to be incorporated into such buildings. However, due to lack of monitoring the enforcement of the Act and Code of Practice, many buildings are still inaccessible to people with disabilities. Therefore we recommend the following;

• The government should consider measures to monitor the enforcement of the laws regarding barrier-free access of the disabled to public buildings. All public places should have appropriate toilet facilities and adequate parking spaces. Roads, pavements, pathways and walkways, pedestrian crossing (with traffic lights and bleeps) must made more accessible for people with disabilities.
  


• More parking lots in the shopping complexes should be allocated to the disabled car drivers and motorbike users.

2. Recommendations for Accessible Transportation

Lack of accessible transportation appears to be greatest problem faced by people with disabilities who have mobility impairments. It should be recognised that providing accessible transportation benefits everybody, especially the growing number of elderly people and also parents with young children. We urge the government to introduce a policy to provide accessible transportation in phases, particularly in urban areas. We therefore recommend the following :

• Public transport should be made user-friendly. For example, wheelchair users have difficult coping with fast closing doors of the commuter trains. The public buses should revert to the old system where all seats face one way so that the seats railings are easily accessible to guide blind passengers. The railings on the roof should be easily reached by disabled standing passengers and the seats themselves should be lower in height for better balance especially during emergency brakes . Although there are seats reserved for people with disabilities, this policy must be enforced and special services for people with disabilities must be made available.
  

• The local authorities should consider the users bigger taxis to accommodate both wheelchair and passenger. A coupon system with a 50% discount for people with disabilities using taxi service should be introduced until the public transport is more accessible to the people with disabilities.
  

• The introduction of a special service at airports to ensure the safety of wheelchair and luggage for disabled passengers.
  

• The government should encourage people with disabilities to buy their own cars by removing the excise duty imposed on cars ( at least those of locally produced cars).It is not only disabled persons that benefit.
  

• Incentives should be offered to transport operators for providing accessible vehicles.

• Enact standards for accessible public transport vehicles and transport infrastructure based on universally accepted practice but appropriate for conditions and users in Malaysia; then require new public transport vehicles and infrastructure to comply with these standards.
  
• Require transport operators to provide low-floor buses in urban areas where conditions are suitable.


• Train and sensitise staff of transport vehicles at all levels to be aware of the special needs of disabled person and to know how to assist them appropriately.
  
• Enforce the design standards for an accessible external built environment which is vital to provide the link between accessible transportation and accessible buildings.
  

The above recommendations are, of necessity, only a selection and reflect the extent of support systems that people with disabilities currently require. The demand from people with disabilities to become equal members of society has been voiced consistently over the past two decades. Therefore, when this issues are given serious attention that it deserves people with disabilities and their families tend to benefit in several ways.

They will be able to develop a higher level of self-reliance as well as economic and social independence. The families of people with disabilities will have access to some financial relief while more opportunities will be created for people with disabilities in education, training and employment. Someday soon it is anticipated that people with disabilities will be able to finally enjoy "full participation and equality" in society through economic and social integration.

The New Episod at Prangin Mall...

Welcome back!..This is a new episod at Prangin Mall. Let's check...

This is a pictures of the parking space and the handicap ramp for persons with disabilities at Prangin Mall's sub-basement. As we saw there are only two parking space for persons with disabilities and the space of the parking is big. But, is it enough if only provides two parking space? hmm...I think that is quite enough because there are only a few persons with disabilities go to the mall and maybe they go with their family and of course they don't use that parking space...(..that is our opinion). That area is only for persons with disabilities because the sign showed "strictly for disabled only". Hopefully the society not use the facilities like parking space that provides for them. The handicap ramp for disable also provided. It is suitable but the lenght between parking space to the handicap ramp are look far. Why not the building administrator build that ramp near the parking space? Because, as we see they need to walk along through the parking space before they enter to the mall. So, that path must be build near parking space to make them easy to enter to the mall.

That all for this part. See you all again in the next finding... wait aa...~peace~

Let us see what is provided at Bukit Jambul shopping complex,Penang

Welcome back…Most of us like to go for shopping right…so now I bring you to Bukit Jambul(BJ) shopping complex, Penang. But not to buy anything…just want to do a survey on the facilities provided for disability. Now we present to you the facilities provided at BJ.

Picture shown above is the main entrance to BJ shopping complex. How is the situation if persons with disability especially for those who are using wheel chair join their family to do their shopping here? They can’t use this stair. I guess those who are not using the wheel chair can use this stair to come into BJ shopping complex because it is provided with handrail at both side. The step is also quiet wide and not too high for them to step.

We found the ramp for person with disability which is using wheel chair but it is quiet far from the entrance to that building. It is located at the left and right side of the main entrance and they might take few minutes to find the ramp.

But what is happened here? Can you see... can you imagine how they want to use this ramp? I don’t think is a better accessibility. What do you think? This conditition might bring difficulties to persons with disability who are using wheel chair. Besides that, this is not the straight ramp but a bit circle and quiet long. In addition, there is no landing area for them to rest while they are tired.



Here is the main entrance to this building. I guess it is not easy for those who are using wheel chair pass this step by themselves. There must be someone help them to lift and push the wheel chair or else they will just stop there. This is just the view outside the building. Next time I will bring all of you to judge the accessibility inside this building…Tunggu…:)

Sharing on Accessibility with Miss Tan Chin Chin

Last two weeks ago our special guest, MissTan Chin Chin has came to our class and share her experince and knowledge about accessibility. Before this, we don't have so much information about (persons with disabilities) OKU. Sometime we confuse about this issue because, we think that all facilities provided are suitable for them. We has learn a lot from her and now we will share the information with all of you.

Accessibility

disabled persons can, without assistance, approach, enter, pass to and from, and make use of a built environment without undue difficulties (Society of the Disabled Persons Penang’s website)

Areas to be considered

•Ramp
•Step ramp
•Pathways and corridors
•Parking space
•Toilets
•Steps and stairs
•Doorways
•Tactile surface / Guilding block

•Drainage grating
•Overhead hazards
•Lifts
•Signage
•Public phone
•ATM machice
•Service counter
•Tables
•Storage spaces, etc

Understanding Space Requirements

Typical dimensions of wheelchairs commonly used by adults


•Minimum floor space required to accommodate a wheelchair user




Minimum clear turning space

1500mm(m'sia)



Minimum floor space required

Reach range for person in wheelchair

Forward Reach

Side Reach

RAMP

RAMP

•Wide should be minimum 1200mm
•Handrails should be provided: (1) at both side, (2) at correct height (and also its diameter), (3) extend horizontally beyond the top and bottom of the ramp with minimum 300 mm
•Raised kerb at open edge – to avoid accident
•Gradient – not steeper than 1:12
•Should have a landing space (1200mm min.) for every 600mm

PARKING SPACE

•Wide: not less than 3600mm
•A sign incorporating the symbol for access by disabled persons should be visible
•Access route from parking lots to the building should be accessible by wheel chair users.

TOILET

•3 methods of wheelchair transfer:
–frontal transfer
–side transfer
–diogonal transfer

Toilet for Disabled Person

Source:Code of Accessibility in the built environment 2007 Singapore

Seharian di Evergreen Laurel Hotel Di Gurney Plaza

Minggu lalu kami telah pergi ke Hotel Evergreen yang terletak di Gurney Plaza untuk meninjau kemudahan yang di sediakan oleh pihak hotel kepada golongan OKU. Di sini kami melihat segala kemudahan berada dalam keadaan yang sempurna..Maklumla hotel..heheeh..5 star pula tu..Mesti la jaga kualiti. Rasa seronok berada di sana walaupun keadaan yang agak sunyi pada petang itu..Paling penting untuk golongan OKU ialah kemudahan tandas yang disediakan...Tempat pertama yang kami kunjungi..Kedudukan tandas berada dalam keadaan yang selesa,dengan penyediaan pemegang di kedua-dua belah.Tetapi jika dilihat dengan teliti pemengangnya tidak boleh dilaras mengikut saiz dan keperluan pengguna terutama yang berkerusi roda.Tempat tisu yang rendah selaras dengan kegunaan mereka serta sinki dan cermin juga berada dalam kedudukan yang rendah..Cukup selesa dan amat memuaskan hati kami..Kemudahan lain turut tersedia ialah terdapat 4 lif yang beroperasi, salah 1 untuk kegunaan golongan OKU. OKU hanya perlu menekan punat simbol OKU dan lif yang khusus untuk mereka akan terbuka. Dari tinjauan kami hampir setengah hari hanya di Hotel tersedia kemudahan lif untuk OKU..Tempat-tempat yang lain semua tidak tersedia..Walaupun ada tetapi tidak sesuai..terutama di shopping complex. Sepatutnya tempat seperti Shopping complex yang perlu ada kerana tempat itu kunjungan umum..jadi bagaimana dengan kemudahan seperti ini??..Adakah perlu??Mereka juga memerlukan kemudahan yang lengkap.Walaupun Mall mempunyai keluasan bangunan yang besar tetapi kemudahan yang seiring perlu disediakan untuk mereka yakin pada diri dan tidak bergantung harap pada keluarga dan orang terdekat dengan mereka..Ini gambar2 yang sempat kami rakamkan dan kongsikan dengan rakan2 sepanjang berada di Hotel berkenaan..Jadi fikir2kan la kemudahan yang tersedia..

Di sekitar Hotel Evergreen

Pemandangan luar Hotel

Punat lif untuk OKU... sesuai untuk golongan OKU kerana faktor pembinaan yang agak rendah mengikut kriteria yang bersesuaian dengan golongan OKU..

Punat lif untuk OKU dan orang biasa.Hal ini jelas menunjukkan keperihatinan pihak pengurusan terhadap golongan OKU,kerana lif ini khusus untuk mereka sahaja.

Punat lif OKU yang rendah dari punat lif biasa,memudahkan mereka untuk menekan punat tanpa meminta pertolongan daripada orang lain.

Pemegang di dalam lif yang fleksibel untuk kegunaan mereka.

Struktur lif yang selesa dan luas memudahkan kerusi roda untuk masuk dan pergerakan kerusi tidak terbatas.

Simbol tandas OKU yang dipamerkan di luar pintu masuk ke tandas.

Tandas yang siap dengan pemegang, tetapi tidak boleh dilaraskan untuk kesesuaian pengguna kerusi roda. Keluasan antara pemengang dan mangkuk tandas sempit menyukarkan golongan OKU untuk beralih dari kerusi roda ke mangkuk tandas.

Tempat tisu yang agak rendah memudahkan mereka untuk mengambilnya.

Sinki yang rendah untuk memudahkan membasuh tangan sesuai bagi mereka.

Ruang pintu tandas yang lebar untuk memudahkan penggunaaan kerusi roda untuk masuk ke dalam tandas.Ianya memberi keselesaan kepada mereka.

Ruang telefon awam yang rendah sesuai untuk golongan OKU jika berlaku kecemasan.

Membeli-belah di Giant...

Pada kali ini kami berkesempatan ke Giant untuk melihat segala kemudahan yang disediakan bagi golongan OKU.Giant ialah sebuah Hypermarket yang menyediakan kemudahan membeli barangan dapur,memasak,pakaian dan lain-lain...Sudah tentu masyarakat yang mengunjungi terdiri dari pelbagai lapisan masyarakat,tua, muda dan tidak dilupakan juga golongan OKU..Sempat juga kami bertanya kepada beberapa pengunjung mengenai kemudahan yang tersedia bagi golongan OKU..Walaupun Giant mempunyai ruang yang besar, tetapi kemudahan kepada golongan ini tidak lengkap dan masih kurang terutamanya perkhidmatan lif. Giant Bayan Baru mempunyai 2 tingkat ,dan hanya eskulator untuk barangan dan pengunjung sahaja..Bagaimana pula ragamnya dengan golongan OKU??..Adakah mereka hanya mampu berpusing ditingkat bawah sahaja..tanpa ke tingkat atas...Dari hasil tinjauan kami..jelas OKU hanya duduk di bawah...keluarga mereka..shopping....emmm...apa yang perlu dilakukan..kesiankan..kena tunggu barang ja...Ketidakupayaannya menjejaskan mereka untuk bergerak seperti orang lain.. Kalau dilihat tempat letak kereta juga jauh dari tempat masuk utama, dan tiada kemudahan khas yang tersedia untuk OKU..Bab yang kami seronok pasal tandas..ke mana saja yang kami pergi, perkara utama yang terfikir...TANDAS????Adakah ianya sesuai..ialah takkan nak berkongsi dengan kita yang tandasnya unik nie..Emmm..tandas yang tersedia amat memuaskan..bersih..dan selesa..Tandas yang mempunyai ciri-ciri untuk kegunaan OKU,tetapi belum selamat untuk mereka..Secara keseluruhan pihak pengurusan perlu meningkatkan tahap kemudahan yang lebih efektif untuk membantu golongan ini menggunakan perkhidmatan khas untuk mereka dengan mudah..tidak perlu membataskan pergerakan mereka dengan hanya kemudahan tidak mencukupi...Selalu "Caring and Sharing"



Jika dilihat pintu masuk utama ke Giant amat jauh dari tempat letak kereta. Hal ini amat menyukarkan golongan OKU untuk bergerak. Walaupun tempat letak kereta itu luas tetapi pihak pengurusan kurang menitikberatkan kemudahan kepada golongan ini.

Tempat letak kereta yang luas dan selesa tetapi tiada tempat khas untuk golongan OKU....mcm mana ya...


Mesin ATM yang berada ditingkat 2 bangunan amat menyukarkan golongan OKU untuk naik kerana perkhidmatan seperti lif tidak ada dan eskulator yang ada tidak sesuai untuk kegunaan mereka...Adakah mesin ini sesuai dan apakah pendapat anda??...



Eskulator yang disediakan hanya sesuai untuk pelanggan dan troli barangan. Ianya tidak sesuai untuk golongan OKU. Hal ini jelas kelihatan simbol yang melarang golongan OKU (berkerusi roda) untuk menggunakannya. Jadi bagaimana untuk mereka ke tingkat atas?..

Palang yang disediakan hanya 1 dan tidak boleh dilaraskan pula. Ianya amat menyukarkan penggunaan kepada mereka. Ciri-ciri keselamatan yang betul perlu diletakkan 2 palang serta boleh dilaras bersesuaian dengan saiz serta keperluan.

Sinki dan mangkuk tandas amat dekat. Hal ini amat menyukarkan penggunaan kerusi roda untuk bergerak jauh dan agak terbatas.

Kelebaran pintu muat untuk kerusi roda. Dari pemerhatian ianya sesuai dan mengikut saiz serta kriteria yang ditetapkan.

#Sorry atas kesulitan yang kami alami semasa mengeluarkan artikel yang sama sebelum ini.Artikel ini telah lengkap sepenuhnya.Selamat membaca...Always "caring and sharing"